04-01-2013, 05:29 PM
[#0000ff][size 4]This post will be our complete resource for all of the newcomers that fish this area. We will touch on all of the fisheries in Southern Nevada, and all the gear you need to fish them effectively.[/size][/#0000ff]
This thread will be broken down by specific waters. Read this post thoroughly!!
First off, you need a [url "https://www.ndowlicensing.com/%28rholag45dpucdezyemdoc345%29/licenses/licensestart.aspx"]LICENSE[/url] to fish in the state of Nevada if you are 12 years of age or older. Fishing without a license carries a fine which is ten times the cost of a license. Do yourself a favor and buy the proper license. Parents, remember that you will need to be licensed if you are helping kids. You should not touch the rods without a license. Special one day group permits are available [url "https://www.ndowlicensing.com/%2835g3gq55ha1geyax3uq0tbv4%29/licenses/groupfishingpermitentry.aspx"]HERE[/url].
[#0000ff][size 5]Lake Mead-[/size][/#0000ff]
[inline lake-mead1.jpg]
[#0000ee][size 4][url "http://www.nps.gov/lake/planyourvisit/fishing.htm"]General Lake Mead [size 4]I[/size]nfo[/url][/size][/#0000ee] [url "http://www.nps.gov/lake/planyourvisit/fishing.htm"](click here)[/url]
Lake Mead is home to the most productive Striped Bass fishery in Nevada. There are an estimated 10 Million stripers living in Lake Mead.
[inline Screen_shot_2011-06-23_at_6.00.38_PM.png]
The average striper in Lake Mead weighs 1-2 pounds, while catches of 20, 30 and 40+ pound stripers are a possibility. At certain times of the year, catching 50 to over 100 fish per day can be possible.
[inline LakeMead_06-15-12_001.jpg]
Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass both inhabit the lake, and while the bass fishing can be tough at times, stellar catches are possible. The F.L.W. Tour, B.A.S.S. and countless other tournament circuits make regular stops at Lake Mead, and W.O.N. holds a huge tournament every summer on Lake Mead called The U.S. Open.
The average bass in Lake Mead weighs 1-2 pounds. A 4 pound bass is note-worthy, and every year many 5+ pound bass are caught. The state record largemouth was caught in Lake Mead in 1999, and weighed 12 pounds even. The Smallmouth bass population is booming, and 4-5 pound fish are not uncommon.
[inline 1.png]
There are two common catfish species in Lake Mead- the Channel Catfish and the White Catfish. Both species inhabit the same areas and can be caught using the same methods. Channel Catfish are the larger of the two species, with average catches weighing 1-2 pounds. Fish up to about 15 pounds are a possibility. White catfish run smaller, with the average fish weighing around a pound. A very large white catfish may weigh 4 or 5 pounds.
[inline CARPS.jpg]
Common Carp are plentiful in Lake Mead, and you may get lucky and catch a Mirror Carp while fishing for commons. Scale patterns differentiate the two.
The average carp in the lake will run 4-5 pounds, and there are good numbers of double-digit sized fish. A 10 pound carp is very common. Great fighters, these fish offer outstanding angling opportunities.
[inline dscf8494.jpg]
Bluegill are the last fish I will include on the game-fish list for Mead. There are huge numbers of bluegill in the lake. Most are very small, averaging 3-4 inches. Fish up to a half-pound can be caught.
The other important fish in Lake Mead are the shad. We have Threadfin shad and Gizzard shad in the lake, with the gizzard shad becoming the dominant specie.
These fish can be netted with a cast net (max radius 4 feet) in the backs of the tributaries at certain times of the year. They make great live and dead bait for stripers, catfish and bass.
[inline 1251901293_ShadDifference.jpg]
[#0000ee][size 4][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=603816;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;page=unread#unread"]Click here for shore Lake Mead fishing spots at [/url][/size][/#0000ee]
[#0000ee][size 4][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=584654;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;page=unread#unread"]Click here for bait, tackle & rigging information (anchovies, sardines, etc)[/url][/size][/#0000ee].
[#0000ff][size 5]Fishing information-[/size][/#0000ff]
Striped Bass-
Striper fishing is phenomenal at times in Lake Mead. You can target these fish from shore or boat. Fish are typically caught on trolled shad-style lures, topwater plugs, or bait-fishing. For bait-fishing, you can use a carolina-rig with a 1" piece of anchovy, sardine or shad hooked on a small bait hook. Chumming the area you are fishing with lots of cut anchovies is a good way to call in the schools of stripers.
In the summer months, stripers school up and herd shad to the surface. They launch an attack that makes the water look like it is boiling. These are called boils. Fish can be caught on just about every cast when fishing boils with topwater plugs. Action is fast and furious, but the boils are short-lived, and you must stay on the move to keep on the fish.
To learn more about striper fishing Lake Mead, look into the Nevada Striper Club. These guys are without-a-doubt the most knowledgeable striper anglers in the state, and they are more than willing to share information.
[url "http://nevadastriperclub.com/"]www.nevadastriperclub.com[/url]
[size 4]
Bass Fishing-[/size]
Largemouth and Smallmouth bass offer great opportunity in Lake Mead. They are generally found in 2-40 feet of water holding near structure of some sort.
You can target them with crankbaits, jerkbaits and topwater plugs that mimic shad, football jigs with craw trailers, senko style stick-worms, and finesse worms on a drop-shot rig.
Fish move shallow in the spring to spawn, and are easy to find. In the hot summer months, they may hold in deeper spots where the water is a little cooler, but you can always find bass shallow in the warm months. Fall brings the fish shallow again to feed on shad, and in the winter, they hold on deeper ledges and can be tough to find and catch.
[size 4]Catfishing-[/size]
Catfishing is best at night for channel catfish. White catfish have more of a tendency to feed during the day. They can both be found cruising shallower areas, typically in the 3 - 20 foot depths. Chumming with commercial catfish chum is an effective way to pull in good numbers of catfish. You can fish with worms, chicken livers, shrimp, squid, anchovies, shad, sardines, and any commercially prepared stink-bait. Stink-baits work better in the warmer months when the warm water helps disperse the scent further. A typical carolina rig works well here.
[size 4]Carp Fishing-[/size]
Carp are easy to target from early spring through late fall in shallow water. Chumming with canned corn is popular, and you can fish with a small hook and a couple kernels of corn. Light line, small hooks and small weights are the name of the game here. Carp are skiddish and line-shy, so keep your rig as inconspicuous as possible. You do not need a big hook to tackle these big fish. A size 10 octopus hook is just right. There are many recipes online for making your own prepared carp baits at home, like [url "http://www.ehow.com/how_7798667_homemade-carp-bait.html"]THIS ONE.[/url]
[size 4]Bluegill Fishing-[/size]
Bluegill can be targeted in the warmer months in coves with a lot of brush, vegetation and cover. Try a tiny hook with a 1/4" piece of a nightcrawler under a small bobber. Light line in the 4-6lb range is the norm here. If you find a school of bluegill in a cove, you can get them feeding by chumming with a handful of bread crumbs. Follow up with your bobber and worm setup, and you should be able to catch dozens from one spot.
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=808523;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;page=unread#unread"][size 4]
More Mead fishing info HERE[/size][/url]
This is the basic info you need to get started at the lake. We will continue to add information to this post that will pertain to all of the Southern Nevada fisheries.
Feel free to ask questions here!
[signature]
This thread will be broken down by specific waters. Read this post thoroughly!!
First off, you need a [url "https://www.ndowlicensing.com/%28rholag45dpucdezyemdoc345%29/licenses/licensestart.aspx"]LICENSE[/url] to fish in the state of Nevada if you are 12 years of age or older. Fishing without a license carries a fine which is ten times the cost of a license. Do yourself a favor and buy the proper license. Parents, remember that you will need to be licensed if you are helping kids. You should not touch the rods without a license. Special one day group permits are available [url "https://www.ndowlicensing.com/%2835g3gq55ha1geyax3uq0tbv4%29/licenses/groupfishingpermitentry.aspx"]HERE[/url].
[#0000ff][size 5]Lake Mead-[/size][/#0000ff]
[inline lake-mead1.jpg]
[#0000ee][size 4][url "http://www.nps.gov/lake/planyourvisit/fishing.htm"]General Lake Mead [size 4]I[/size]nfo[/url][/size][/#0000ee] [url "http://www.nps.gov/lake/planyourvisit/fishing.htm"](click here)[/url]
Lake Mead is home to the most productive Striped Bass fishery in Nevada. There are an estimated 10 Million stripers living in Lake Mead.
[inline Screen_shot_2011-06-23_at_6.00.38_PM.png]
The average striper in Lake Mead weighs 1-2 pounds, while catches of 20, 30 and 40+ pound stripers are a possibility. At certain times of the year, catching 50 to over 100 fish per day can be possible.
[inline LakeMead_06-15-12_001.jpg]
Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass both inhabit the lake, and while the bass fishing can be tough at times, stellar catches are possible. The F.L.W. Tour, B.A.S.S. and countless other tournament circuits make regular stops at Lake Mead, and W.O.N. holds a huge tournament every summer on Lake Mead called The U.S. Open.
The average bass in Lake Mead weighs 1-2 pounds. A 4 pound bass is note-worthy, and every year many 5+ pound bass are caught. The state record largemouth was caught in Lake Mead in 1999, and weighed 12 pounds even. The Smallmouth bass population is booming, and 4-5 pound fish are not uncommon.
[inline 1.png]
There are two common catfish species in Lake Mead- the Channel Catfish and the White Catfish. Both species inhabit the same areas and can be caught using the same methods. Channel Catfish are the larger of the two species, with average catches weighing 1-2 pounds. Fish up to about 15 pounds are a possibility. White catfish run smaller, with the average fish weighing around a pound. A very large white catfish may weigh 4 or 5 pounds.
[inline CARPS.jpg]
Common Carp are plentiful in Lake Mead, and you may get lucky and catch a Mirror Carp while fishing for commons. Scale patterns differentiate the two.
The average carp in the lake will run 4-5 pounds, and there are good numbers of double-digit sized fish. A 10 pound carp is very common. Great fighters, these fish offer outstanding angling opportunities.
[inline dscf8494.jpg]
Bluegill are the last fish I will include on the game-fish list for Mead. There are huge numbers of bluegill in the lake. Most are very small, averaging 3-4 inches. Fish up to a half-pound can be caught.
The other important fish in Lake Mead are the shad. We have Threadfin shad and Gizzard shad in the lake, with the gizzard shad becoming the dominant specie.
These fish can be netted with a cast net (max radius 4 feet) in the backs of the tributaries at certain times of the year. They make great live and dead bait for stripers, catfish and bass.
[inline 1251901293_ShadDifference.jpg]
[#0000ee][size 4][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=603816;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;page=unread#unread"]Click here for shore Lake Mead fishing spots at [/url][/size][/#0000ee]
[#0000ee][size 4][url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=584654;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;page=unread#unread"]Click here for bait, tackle & rigging information (anchovies, sardines, etc)[/url][/size][/#0000ee].
[#0000ff][size 5]Fishing information-[/size][/#0000ff]
Striped Bass-
Striper fishing is phenomenal at times in Lake Mead. You can target these fish from shore or boat. Fish are typically caught on trolled shad-style lures, topwater plugs, or bait-fishing. For bait-fishing, you can use a carolina-rig with a 1" piece of anchovy, sardine or shad hooked on a small bait hook. Chumming the area you are fishing with lots of cut anchovies is a good way to call in the schools of stripers.
In the summer months, stripers school up and herd shad to the surface. They launch an attack that makes the water look like it is boiling. These are called boils. Fish can be caught on just about every cast when fishing boils with topwater plugs. Action is fast and furious, but the boils are short-lived, and you must stay on the move to keep on the fish.
To learn more about striper fishing Lake Mead, look into the Nevada Striper Club. These guys are without-a-doubt the most knowledgeable striper anglers in the state, and they are more than willing to share information.
[url "http://nevadastriperclub.com/"]www.nevadastriperclub.com[/url]
[size 4]
Bass Fishing-[/size]
Largemouth and Smallmouth bass offer great opportunity in Lake Mead. They are generally found in 2-40 feet of water holding near structure of some sort.
You can target them with crankbaits, jerkbaits and topwater plugs that mimic shad, football jigs with craw trailers, senko style stick-worms, and finesse worms on a drop-shot rig.
Fish move shallow in the spring to spawn, and are easy to find. In the hot summer months, they may hold in deeper spots where the water is a little cooler, but you can always find bass shallow in the warm months. Fall brings the fish shallow again to feed on shad, and in the winter, they hold on deeper ledges and can be tough to find and catch.
[size 4]Catfishing-[/size]
Catfishing is best at night for channel catfish. White catfish have more of a tendency to feed during the day. They can both be found cruising shallower areas, typically in the 3 - 20 foot depths. Chumming with commercial catfish chum is an effective way to pull in good numbers of catfish. You can fish with worms, chicken livers, shrimp, squid, anchovies, shad, sardines, and any commercially prepared stink-bait. Stink-baits work better in the warmer months when the warm water helps disperse the scent further. A typical carolina rig works well here.
[size 4]Carp Fishing-[/size]
Carp are easy to target from early spring through late fall in shallow water. Chumming with canned corn is popular, and you can fish with a small hook and a couple kernels of corn. Light line, small hooks and small weights are the name of the game here. Carp are skiddish and line-shy, so keep your rig as inconspicuous as possible. You do not need a big hook to tackle these big fish. A size 10 octopus hook is just right. There are many recipes online for making your own prepared carp baits at home, like [url "http://www.ehow.com/how_7798667_homemade-carp-bait.html"]THIS ONE.[/url]
[size 4]Bluegill Fishing-[/size]
Bluegill can be targeted in the warmer months in coves with a lot of brush, vegetation and cover. Try a tiny hook with a 1/4" piece of a nightcrawler under a small bobber. Light line in the 4-6lb range is the norm here. If you find a school of bluegill in a cove, you can get them feeding by chumming with a handful of bread crumbs. Follow up with your bobber and worm setup, and you should be able to catch dozens from one spot.
[url "http://www.bigfishtackle.com/cgi-bin/gforum/gforum.cgi?post=808523;forum_view=forum_view_collapsed;page=unread#unread"][size 4]
More Mead fishing info HERE[/size][/url]
This is the basic info you need to get started at the lake. We will continue to add information to this post that will pertain to all of the Southern Nevada fisheries.
Feel free to ask questions here!
[signature]